This invention relates to a safety shield system that is designed for use in protecting an individual's upper torso, neck, and head region from biological, chemical, or solid matter while allowing the user free use of his, or her hands. This invention is worn by the user, and provides the same protection previously afforded only by bench-mounted stationary shields, but does not restrict the movements of the user. This device is flexible, allowing it to conform to the contours, and dimensions of the wearer. It can be disinfected when exposed to infectious materials, or disposed of. This invention is superior to prior art (face shields) due to the inclusion of previously unprotected areas, and the elimination of headaches due to cranial pressure resulting from the weight of head mounted face shields.
Today's environment presents an increased risk to the health care worker in the form of life threatening viruses (e.g. AIDS, Hepatitis, etc.) transmitted via blood, infectious materials, and other body fluids. This is a public concern, because of its negative impact on the economy, general well-being, and the health of the community at large. The issue of public health hazards can be addressed by reducing the risk of exposure to the worker in the health care field. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) more than 5.6 million workers in the health care and public safety occupations could be potentially exposed to these viruses.
With the inception of the recent OSHA standard, Part 1910.1030 of Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations, an acknowledgment is made of the potential danger due to bloodborne pathogens and the many pathways of exposure to healthcare professionals. One section of the standard states that personal protective equipment (e.g. gloves, face shields, etc.) is considered appropriate only if it does not permit blood or other potentially infectious materials to pass through or reach employee's work clothes, street clothes, skin, eyes, mouth, or other mucous membranes under normal condition of use and for the duration of time which the protective equipment will be used. It should be further noted that any protective device must be worn to be effective. A safety shield which causes physical discomfort, or significantly affects the ability of the worker to perform required tasks will not be fully utilized. In view of the foregoing facts the health care worker should be afforded the most encompassing protection available while providing comfort, unobstructed vision, and mobility.
Another aspect of this invention is the protection provided by the use of this device to the industrial worker and hobbyist. By wearing this shield during operations such as grinding, welding, sawing and other related activities a more complete protection is provided than that currently available via prior art. In the prior art associated with facial safety shields used in the health care field several designs have been patented. U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,282 is delineated as a face shield system having a support that is adjustable to fit on the head of the user which includes a horizontal headband section as an integral part of said support member. Therefore, this face shield is supported by the head and neck contributing to worker fatigue and unnecessary stress resulting in eye strain, head-aches, and the like. A major contributor of the pressure, and stress (causative factor of headaches etc . . . ) is that all prior art uses a `lip` to extend the shield face a few inches beyond the eyes of the user. This lip acts as a fulcrum using the weight of the shield to pull itself off of the head of the user. As a result of this downward force the headband (circling the cranium) which the prior art uses to keep said shield on wearer's head must be tightened, thus applying a constricting force to the head of the user yielding pain, headaches, and fatigue. As stated in prior art U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,570. worker fatigue results in increased industrial accidents, and can be avoided by wearing a light-weight face protection system not supported by the head. The ANSI Z-87.1 Standards, and related studies bear out the evidence concerning worker fatigue resulting from the weight bearing load that the head, and neck are subject to with the prior art.
The prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,981 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,282, states the limited ability of those shields to prevent objects (liquid, solid, etc.) from striking the face, if the said objects are traveling in a straight line (such that the shields are in a vertical position in relation to the projectile) toward the face. Thus, the only protection provided by the prior art is in the immediate facial area (oral cavity, nose, and eyes), if the user's face is in proper orientation (angle) to the incoming objects (i.e. directly in front, and at eye level). This limited protection does not shield the user from objects that can come from other directions such as bench top level (from waist level and up), the side of the head at eye level, or below (to include cheeks, ears, and temple regions), and other anterior, or peripheral angles which might strike the upper thorax, and throat region.
There is no indication in any prior art of a face shield system which would protect the user from exposure to projectiles coming from the aforementioned angles (preceding paragraph). It is undoubtedly clear that a more comprehensive protection that would include previously unprotected areas of the body, greater comfort, and ease of use would warrant significant progress in the science of safety equipment.
In agreement with the present device, a significant improvement for a more comprehensive facial, and upper body protection system is furnished whereupon a safer environment is made available to the health care worker, hobbyist, and industrial employee. The protection afforded by the safety shield is from biological, chemical, and physical matter which may take the form of, but is not limited to liquids, solids, and aerosols.